Sunday, 31 August 2008

I'm so bored. So much so that I even have time to blog. Look at me, all I do is sleep. Life is getting too weird.

Yesterday, they suddenly took me on a long car ride. I didn't even have time to say goodbye to Cookie and my friends. I like looking out of the car window and press my nose against the glass, watching the world go by. I don't care if the window is covered in my drool but hey, two pretty chicks waved at me yesterday!

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Then I got into this little house. It's so difficult for me to walk on the smooth floors. I tried exploring the little rooms but nothing excites me here. There are no lizards or toads hiding behind the fridge. The patio is a little better. The two elephants are cute but they sit there all day doing nothing. I like sniffing around the plants for lizards but why does everyone get so nervous when I'm out here exploring. Am I so stupid to walk through the fencing? Come on!

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One more thing, the kids are worried I would pee or crap in their rooms. I have dignity you know. Only mummy knows me best. She brings me out for walks in the neighbourhood. This morning, she took me to this big field where I finally did my business. When we got home, she wiped my butt with a piece of tissue. Can you believe that? Hey, I'm not a baby you know!

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I like following her around the house. She spends alot of time in the kitchen and laundry room. I love to be around her because she cooks pork chop for me. The boys think I should only eat my measly dog food but Mummy loves me the most. She feeds me other yummy things. This morning, she made this delicious 'lou shee fun' noodle for the boys and she gave me some.

Now that she has gone to work, I feel miserable. When it rains, I'm stuck here with nothing to do. I can't go to the patio. I miss Cookie. Heck, I even miss that annoying stray living in the farm. I would die of shame if they ever see me on a leash. Don't mess with me. I'm the boss ok?

Yesterday afternoon, I participated in the World’s Largest Running Event - the Nike + Human Race where 1 million+ runners raced in 25 locations around the world at the same time to raise funds for charity.

CH and I decided to take the MRT to Esplanade to avoid the crowd. We met alot of runners along the way. This is the first run that made it mandatory to wear the race tee. That's because the race number is printed on the t-shirt so every piece is unique. CH didn't manage to get a space, so I was at the start point, feeling so lonely and bored. Besides, I was so sleep deprived, I kept yawning while waiting for the gun to go off. It's my first afternoon race and I didn't like the humidity one bit.

There were many excited participants who kept moving about. Sandwiched between many hot bodies and feeling the heat rising from the tarmac, I couldn't wait to start running. We were treated to a band performance and some speeches. While there were other performances lined up along the route, the truth is, when you're feeling so drained along the way, you don't really pay any attention to these distractions.

A sea of red.

CH managed to spot my aunt and cousin. It was hard to look out for any friends since everyone looked almost identical in the same outfit.

It was a pretty good run. I joined the first wave, which was the faster group, hoping that their momentum will push me to run faster. True enough, I did a fast 3km before slowing down to catch my breath. The heat depleted my energy really quickly and I kept dashing to the water stations. The route was full of twists and turns. We ran along Shenton Way, through Marina South, followed by the CBD areas looping through Boat Quay, Riverside and Liang Court before finishing at the Padang. The undulating and windy route made the 10km seemed so much longer!

It felt so good to reach the finish line. Though it wasn't my best timing, I'm glad my efforts helped to raise some funds for the Wildlife federation.

It's a beautiful Sunday morning and an auspicious one. It's the first day of the Lunar 8th month and our official moving in day. Though we've been living here for almost 2 weeks now, we haven't officially moved in.

We stayed at my parent's home last night. We had to because we can't be walking in through the main door if we were living inside, can we? As you can see, I had to walk through the main door during the auspicious window between 6.05am to 8am and perform some simple rituals.

At my parents home last night, I woke up at midnight to hear YK tossing and turning about on his bed. He was scratching vigourously and suffering from severe blocked nose. It must be the sheets. We haven't slept there for 2 weeks and dust have settled in the room. YK's highly sensitive to dust and his immune system was acting up like crazy.

The rustling went on for a long time. We were both awake and he was very frustrated. In an angry exchange of words, he blamed it on my fengshui bullshit. I told him I was disappointed I had raised a whiny and self centered kid. After years of struggle, I have finally bought an apartment. It's natural for me to want things to work out well for us. Afterall, I'm the sole breadwinner in the family. In my anger, I told him I'm doing this for them. I'm happy to live at my parent's place all my life you know!

After an emotional outburst, he went to sleep on the couch while I scoured for an antihistame. Luckily, I found some in an old cupboard. I made him eat one to relieve the itch. By then, both of us had cooled off but sleep evaded me for a long time.

I got to the new house at 6am to perform my simple ritual involving lighting the stove, boiling water and cooking a simple meal. It's all done now. We've officially moved in! All's good now.

Fruits and cake on the dining table.

Here's my simple meal - red bean soup in a claypot which the boys can have for dessert later.

Thursday, 28 August 2008

Last night, I was having trouble with the main door again. This time, my old method wouldn't work. The door simply refused to shut no matter how I tried to adjust the knobs. I decided to dismantle the door opener once and for all. There I was, high up on my wooden stool struggling to loosen the screws (and thinking of summoning CH over) when my next door neighbour came walking past.

We've met a couple of times and in our short exchange, discovered that we're both avid runners. There he was, walking towards his main door in his office attire, carrying bags of groceries when he saw me perched on the chair with my door ajar. He asked, "How was last Sunday's (army half-marathon) run?"

Looking totally distracted, I managed a quick reply."Emm, it was ok." Then I blurted out, "Hey, I may need your help", feeling embarrassed right after that.

I'm sure at that point, he must be wondering what kind of a neighbour he had landed. Still the gentleman said, "Sure, but let me put these groceries away first" and disappeared into his house where his wife and new born baby were waiting.

He emerged later and I explained I was trying to dismantle the door opener but found myself in need of a screwdriver with a square head. He brought out a bunch of allan keys but none could fit.

I was desperately trying to make him understand that my door wouldn't shut anymore, that's why I had to resort to such drastic measures. As I demonstrated my 'old' method, the door suddenly closed properly.

Oh wow. Problem solved. He could go home have his dinner and I could go to sleep with the door locked. He must be thinking, "What a strange neighbour..."

I'm going to call the hardware store now and get a new one installed once and for all.

I don't walk into boutiques or shoe shops these days. I wear the same old clothes all the time. Somehow, these designer sales don't excite me anymore. Instead, I spend my time looking at pots and pans, rice cookers and chopping boards. Oh, I feel so housewifely now.

There are endless things to buy. I've just added a fan to SK's room so that he doesn't have to turn on the air-con all the time. I also bought a claypot and a small frying pan the other day. Yesterday I lugged home heavy bags of soya sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and oyster sauce.

Next, I will have to get some real food. The fridge is still empty save for a bottle of red wine, some yoghurt and nectarines. The bag of apples has been languishing in there for weeks now. Apparently apple is not the favourite fruit in this household.

Come to think of it, I need garlic, ginger, onions and spices. And a whole lot of vegetables, eggs, meat and seafood. Oh, add soup ladle and spoons. Yes, and that apron too.

Wednesday, 27 August 2008

Our new life has settled into a routine. The boys take care of their own lunch and journey home. I no longer rush to pick them up from school. I leave the office in the evenings, packing dinner home since I haven't started cooking.

I must admit the packed dinners bother me somewhat. For someone who's used to eating bland home-cooked food all my life, these store-bought dinners leave a funny taste in my mouth. Now, don't get me wrong. The food's delicious but when I wake up in the morning with a strange taste in my mouth, I know we had consumed too much MSG the night before. We're not eating enough greens these few weeks too.

I feel a little guilty that the kids are not eating healthily enough. But this is only temporary of course. I will start cooking again come Monday. That probably means a change in routine. You'll find me at the wet market buying fish and vegetables on Sunday mornings. Maybe I can do a spot of grocery shopping at the supermarket on some evenings too.

I do look forward to preparing meals in my kitchen. Thinking about it makes me feel like Nigella already. Ah, I should get an apron.

Last night, CH dropped by with his toolbox. He's my newly appointed handyman. I wanted him to install a small shelf later this week. The best thing about living here is the close proximity to his house. He can come by or meet me for after dinner walks by the canal so easily.

The kids will have their one-week school break next week. Rusty will probably come and stay with us. We've noticed that he likes to wander to the edge of the patio. We're worried he may fall through the wide gaps of our fence. We're looking into ways to build a barrier to make it more Rusty-friendly. It's going to cost money and make the patio look ugly.

Talking about Rusty, I should go visit him and my mum later today. I haven't seen them for several days already.

Tuesday, 26 August 2008

I received an award from La Delirante today. She writes so brilliantly and her posts always leave me in awe. So I'm truly surprised to receive an award from her. She said "Blur Ting: Her posts are very sweet and they make me feel like I am in her corner of the world!" Thanks Wen!

Here are few brilliant blogs I read daily that deserve this award.

Mother Hen - She cracks me up every Mon, Wed and Friday. I always look forward with glee to what she has to say and who she's poking fun at. To me, she is the epitome of brilliance!

Seagrape - Her brilliance lies in her creativity, from the art & craft projects to the photographs of her adorable kids... I can't seem to get enough.

New Beginnings - Brilliant photos of her daughter and neighbourhood in her delightful blog. I've learned so much about Japan, thanks to JY.

Flying Pink Elephant - This English chick is always entertaining us with her heart warming stories and brilliant photos.

Crow's Feet - A very witty writer who writes brilliantly about life in Africa and Scotland where she now lives.

Anything Goes - Nick is a brilliant story teller. I can imagine him on his rocking chair, 40 years from now, still telling stories...

Mooiness - An animal lover, Mooiness is also a party animal (on weekends only) who blogs brilliantly about the night life in Australia and his admiration for babes.

1st Sin AT Thru-Hiker - I follow Amy's travels through her blog. She dishes out gorgeous photos and historical facts about places she had seen. I love her brilliant choice of quotes that go with every post.

In fact, I would like to give this award to all the blogs on my blogroll. The fact that I read your blog daily means that it's brilliant!

I left the house a little later than usual today. We normally troop out of the house at 6.20am, locking the door as we leave. This morning, the door wouldn't shut and I didn't have time to figure out what was wrong with the door closer this time.

Thank goodness SK starts an hour later today. I sent YK to school while SK hung around waiting for me to return. I came back, stood on a stool and fiddled with the equipment. One part is loose and keeps dislodging from the socket. I fitted it back only to find it disengaging soon after.

The sun had already risen. It was time to send SK to school. I managed to solve the problem for the time being. At least the door could shut now but I would need someone to come fix it soon!

Before we left, I looked out to find soft morning light streaming into the patio. The plants were still wet from last night's rain but what a wonderful sight that we miss every single morning. If not for the door problem, I wouldn't be able to witness it today.

We added in some new plants over the weekend.

We love the soft and furry Artemisia plant in the big round pot. We have a big patch of that growing in my parent's garden. They're very pretty and resilient.This is the elephant that I bought. I love its happy smiley face. I've got some herbs (rosemary, mint and chilli padi) growing in the heart shaped pot next to the elephant. YK's favourite plant is the bamboo grass on the right.

I arrived at the office to find a parcel from Oslo, Norway waiting from me. It must be from Amy! I opened up excitedly and found a 'Ting' plastic bag. Amy came across this shop called Ting in Norway and decided to mail me some gifts for my house. I first met Amy at a talk she gave on her hike across the Appalachian Trail. She's the first Singaporean Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker. We became fast friends and stay in touch wherever she is. She's really a globetrotter!

Thanks Amy! I love the gifts.

Things from the Ting shop. She even sent me a little Ting catalog which features loads of lovely items for the home. You can check out the website www.tingbutikken.no

Aren't these coasters pretty? Funny she knows I like the colour green.

I love the floral cut-out shape. I can use this graphic as a stencil to make other artworks in future.Today is indeed a cheery kind of day!

Monday, 25 August 2008

When we were living with my parents, you could always find me in my room, working away on my laptop. Nowadays, you will surely find me in the backyard, working my washing machine. I must say the hardest worker in the house is not me, but the washer!

I don't know how a family of 3 can generate so much laundry. The first thing I do when I get home is put the clothes in the washer. The moment the laundry basket is emptied, it starts filling up again. The school uniforms and home clothes get washed daily. Before the machine gets a rest, the towels go in next, then the sheets followed by the rugs. It's an endless cycle!

The dryer works just as hard. In the past, the laundry dries quickly out in the yard where it's always sunny and breezy. We didn't even have a dryer. Here in the apartment, we can't live without one. We don't get enough sunshine in the little yard. Besides, it has been rainy since we moved in. I kind of miss the toasty smell of the sun in my clothes.

Last night, SK wanted me to go with him for a swim. "Sorry not today. I've got loads of laundry to do." This morning, I put another load of clothes in the dryer before I left for work.

Sunday, 24 August 2008

This morning, I was at Clarke Quay collecting my race pack for this weekend's The Nike + Human Race. Since I was already out, I decided to swing by Dempsey Road to hunt for some elephants for my garden.

I love this shop that sells Buddha statues and ornamental stone carvings. They will look perfect in my patio but they're so heavy, I could only bring back two baby elephants.

Aren't these elephants pretty? The one I like, on the left, is too heavy for me to bring back. So I chose something simplier. I'll show you when they're nicely settled in my garden.

I'm making a list. A menu to be exact. Starting from 31 August, I will be making meals at home. According to my fengshui master, 31 Aug is the most auspicious date for moving in. That means, I should avoid cooking before that date. The kids think I'm crazy but what's the point of consulting a geomancer if you're not going to listen to his advice right?

Anyway, back to my list. Instead of the traditional Chinese dinner of rice, stir fried dishes and soup at my parent's house every night, I'm planning on having more one-pot meals for the three of us. Whenever I come across or think of dishes I can cook, I add it to my list. So far, I've got:- Salmon teriyaki with rice- Kimchi hotpot with tofu and Inoki mushroom- Chicken rice- Glutinuous rice wrapped in lotus leaf- Pasta -vongole or seafood or minced meat- Paella- Chicken teriyaki- Steamboat- Fried glass noodles

Of course on some days we'll have rice with stir fried dishes like what we normally eat at home.

After dinner at my parent's place last night, we decided to bring Rusty to our new home for the weekend. In the car, he was anxious and tense but when we got home, he snooped around from room to room, his tiny feet going 'clicky click click' as he walked on the floorboard.

He seemed rather happy but when I went out for a little while, I could hear him whining from outside. After I left, he sat by the main door, whining and waiting for my return. Apparently he didn't feel very secure even with the boys around.

When it was bedtime, he snuggled up on the rug by my bed and fell asleep quickly. It felt good to sleep with Rusty below my bed again. When I woke up this morning to prepare for my half marathon, he followed me around the house. I had two slices of bread and gave him a peanut butter sandwich which he gobbled up quickly. When it was time for me to leave at 5.30am, I had to bring him to SK's room and leave him on his bed lest he followed me out the door.

This reminds me of the time when the boys were little. They would jump for joy when I came home from work and sit outside the bathroom waiting for me to emerge from my shower. I had to sneak out of the house in the mornings or they would be clingling onto my skirt, bawling their eyes out.

CH and I arrived at the starting point at Esplanade at 6am to find a sea of people, mostly young army guys. The Safra Bay Run/Army Half Marathon has record turnouts every year. This year, the 6k, 10k and 20k events attracted over 70,000 runners! We were so far behind, we couldn't even see the start line or hear the gun go off. This year's run brought us through a new route including the newly constructed marina barrage and an uneven muddy track around the Marina golf course. We enjoyed cool weather due to the rainy season but the tracks were terribly muddy. I didn't do too well today but I'm happy we got to see new sights.

Friday, 22 August 2008

Have you ever had one of those days where you can't seem to buy anything? I was having that kind of day yesterday. After sitting in the office since 7am, I decided to leave at 4pm to do a spot of shopping before meeting our friends for dinner. Armed with a long list of things to buy, I headed to a furniture store near my office. I walked out with nary a purchase. Then I decided to drive to Beach Road to look for kitchen utensils. The first parking lot I went into was full, so was the second one. I decided to forgo the idea and went to Furniture Mall instead. There must be at least 30 stores in there, yet I ended up with nothing.

Then it was time to meet CH and proceed to Chris' house. He invited us for a Korean dinner at his apartment before moving out next month. I love how his home is furnished with wooden Korean furniture and how the big balcony overlooks lush greenery. His wife EY prepared our favourite Kimchi stew with loads of ingredients like tofu, pork and mushroom. It was delicious. I'm going to learn how to make that too. The rice was boiled with black beans she brought from Korea. The beans are bigger and much sweeter than what we can get here. Chris bought some other dishes to accompany the stew too. Dessert was durian crepe cake from the famous shop, Classic Cakes. We were so stuffed.

EY had to fly back to Korea and they left for the airport soon after. CH and I went to Ikea. It was my last attempt to shop for the day. We managed to get some small stuff like a dish drainer for the kitchen and a rug for my room. When I got home, I realised that I had forgotten to buy this Bekvam step ladder. Now I can't reach my tall shelves!

Thursday, 21 August 2008

Last night, the boys and I went back to the old home for dinner. After getting caught in peak hour traffic for most of the way, it was such a nice feeling driving through the secluded windy road lined with tall trees again. As we drove through the big iron gates, the dogs came rushing out to meet us, doing their song and dance routine we've grown so familiar with.

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My niece ran forward excitedly, showing off the stickers her teacher had given her. The poor girl has been unwell for several days now. Like me, she has lost some weight but not the vitality. I hugged her tightly and carried her in my arms. Her little sister who was dozing off sprung to life upon hearing our voices. Rusty stood on his hind legs, nuzzling our legs to demand some attention.

Dad was his usual quiet self but I could see his eyes light up when he saw us. Was I imagining things or did he appear thinner too? Mum kept urging the boys to eat more, worried that they're not getting enough wholesome meals outside. After dinner, we helped ourselves to the succulent plums and peaches in the fridge.

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When it was time to leave, my eyes welled up again. I think I love my parents and my dogs too much because it happens everytime I have to say goodbye. I would drive home silently with tears blurring my vision and I had to look away when the kids speak to me. I get so emotional even thinking about them now, I wonder when this is going to stop.

Recently I see so much talk in our newspapers about babies. I do agree that raising kids is expensive. Then again, it is relative isn't it? It all depends on how you want to raise your kids. Some parents think that it is mandatory for their child to attend baby gym and ballet lessons, piano and violin classes etc from birth. Obviously the government is concerned that we're not producing enough kids and is dangling carrots to entice married couples to conceive.

Then people started analysing how attractive the government incentives are and the value of stay-at-home-mums. I know I'm going to piss alot of people off here but come on, if you don't have a kid or you don't plan to have one, you can whine about policies and such. But when you already have them, you raise them in the best way you know how. Any incentives given by the government is a bonus. And whether you choose to be a stay-at-home-mum or not, it is completely up to you.

Nobody is going to dictate that you should have kids or not, or it is best you stay at home to look after them. Or that your husband should get paternity leave or help out with the chores. Or that your boss should be more understanding. These are all very personal issues.

As I grow older, I have come to realise that while there are 'ideals', alot depends on circumstances and the personality of every individual. For example, not everyone will make a good stay-at-home mum. What good is it if the stay at home mum doesn't find any pleasure in being at home with the kids? Ultimately, what is most important is having a set of happy parents. Happy parents = happy kids.

The same goes for every child. While it is ideal that the kid excels in studies and sports, the fact is, every child has his own personality. Getting your kid into the most elite school doesn't mean that the child will turn out better than the rest. In fact, it may even cause more harm than good.

Having said that, it is every parent's responsibility to nurture the kids in their own best capacity. In my case, due to circumstances, I know I could never be a stay-at-home mum but I've managed to find a way that works for our family. It's not my personality to be a stay-at-home mum either. I work and spend enough quality time with my kids everyday. I don't feel that we've compromised anything.

I grew up in a family of working parents. We all helped with the chores during the day and had lots of family time at night. My parents didn't receive any incentives. In fact, they were chastised for having 3 kids instead of 2. Remember the "Stop at 2" policy? Yet, we were always happy and everyone turned out well.

It all boils down to finding the right balance. Every parent will find their own way somehow. Besides, situations change all the time. What's ideal today may no longer work tomorrow.

So, my advice is, do what you feel is right for your family. To have kids or not? To work or not to work? A happy and loving family is above everything else.

Wednesday, 20 August 2008

For the first time, SK took the public bus home all by himself yesterday. It's about time, really, considering how old he is now. YK has been using public transport for years already. Then again, I can't blame them for relying on me all these years. Firstly, my parent's place is simply too remote to get in on foot. You can if you want to, but it's simply not practical.

There were other factors too which started me thinking about how far we've come.

Six years ago, I was awarded custody of the kids after the divorce but their father threatened to take them away from me. After speaking to the school principal about the situation, she was very understanding and allowed the kids to be dismissed 30 minutes earlier. I would be there waiting (sometimes my ex would be there hovering around too) to quickly take them home. I guess that's how I became a very protective mother.

When the situation improved, I arranged for a school bus to send them to an aftercare centre. Faced with too many changes in their life, the kids were miserable but continued going to the centre for about a year.

When my business was more stable, I took them out from daycare. Everyday, like clockwork, I would pick them up from school at 1.20pm, give them lunch and then send them for tuition or straight home. This went on for 6 years!

Now that we've moved to a more accessible location, the boys are able to get home themselves. Then again, that's what mooted the idea of moving, isn't it? It's certainly a big load off my back. I don't have to plan my work around their schedules anymore. They're finally independent now.

Tuesday, 19 August 2008

For the first time since we moved in, life felt normal last night. Maybe it helped that I saw Rusty, mum and my nieces earlier in the afternoon. That certainly lifted my mood.

I ate some noodles for dinner, did my first load of laundry and even managed to go jogging around the neighbourhood with CH who lives very nearby. The boys did their part too, by spending the evening in the kitchen quietly washing the new crockery before putting them away in the cabinets.

When we were all done with our chores, we sat round the TV to watch Animal Planet before hitting the sack.

I just found out that I've lost 3kg over the past 3 weeks. That's quite a record! If anyone is thinking of losing weight quickly, start moving or renovating your home!

Now that life is back to normal, I'm pretty sure that weight is going to creep back in no time.

SK and I have been going to Killiney Kopitiam for our mid-week breakfast for the past few weeks. If you can remember, we have breakfast together every Wednesday because he starts school an hour later than normal.

Purvis Street used to be a Hainanese enclave bustling with shops selling chicken rice and other Hainanese fare. Today, you can find a sprinkling of Italian and Thai restaurants alongside designer furniture stores and local kopitiams.

Colourful conserved buildings.Along the 5-foot way (corridor).SK had soft boiled eggs for breakfast.Purvis Street. The tall building in the background is the National Library.

I went back to mum's place this afternoon to find some lovely gifts waiting for me. My sis-in-law got us a beautiful crockery set from iwannagohome. She the one with great taste and has chosen designs and colours to match our decor. YK had always wanted to get table ware from this place but I didn't want to be too indulgent. So my thoughtful sis-in-law has somehow read his mind. Thanks Ginny! Oh, they had also given us a breakfast maker earlier.

Aren't these pretty? Designed by award winning designer Christopher Vine, the plates and mugs feature chandelier and cutlery motifs and are packed in beautiful boxes. I love them!

My other sis-in-law has also given us a food steamer (below). It'll be perfect for steaming eggs (SK's fav) and sweet potato (my fav) for breakfast! My brother has also paid for our Sony TV (above in the background).Of course, I must thank my dearest pal in Oregon who paid for the washer (below). Thanks MH! I did my first load this evening. The clothes are now spinning in the dryer.

CH has contributed a stereo, grill and money for me to get whatever I want. My friend Amy is sending me a gift that she bought from a store called Ting all the way from Norway.

Aren't I a lucky girl? I'm so blessed to have friends and family like them. Thanks everyone!